The Loch Gruinart Christmas party (and the Paps of Jura)

The last couple of days work include removing a fence, repairing a gravel woodland path with disabled access, painting signs, checking a deer fence and repairing a dry stone wall.  Pretty much all with great views, and in cold but clear weather, around Loch Gruinart.

In between jobs we’ve managed some time to check out the flooded fields by the hide, and the mud flats on the loch.  Plenty of Pintail and Shelduck about, in addition to the regulars.  And loads of waders, such as Bar Tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Curlew, Redshank, Sanderling, Oysterchatcher, Turnstone, Heron and Ringed Plovers.  And maybe some other stuff that we couldn’t pick out.  Apparently there have been some Black Tailed Godwits about, for example, but we didn’t knowingly see any.

This afternoon we receive a call, from Louise, a local warden, to say that a Sea Eagle is hanging around Loch Gorm.  So we (myself and David) jump into the Landrover and Twitch our way over there at high speed.  Even though it had apparently been there for an hour, and we pass by a couple of cars containing local bird spotters, we do not see it while we are there.  We curse Louise and head home to cook roast potatoes.

Things are still rather messy on the house sale front.  I was expecting exchange today, but the buyers solicitor has gone on holiday without exchanging.  If you are the buyers solicitor, I hope you have a very pleasant holiday.

With that in mind I have a Christmas party to go to tonight.  Myself and David have been tasked with taking along Roast Potatoes.  Not much that can go wrong there, you might think.  And with some justification.  We mix it up, pretty much half peeled, and half unpeeled, and they all seem to go down well.  Other people have brought along soup, vegetables, turkey, lots of great cakes, and cheese and biscuits.  I have a few drinks, eat well, and talk to the nice people working for the RSPB, and their partners.  When I leave, at just gone midnight, there are a select few making their way through a bottle of Tobermory Malt.  Apparently it’s rough, but getting better…